And One More
by The Erudite
Summary: The Plegian campaign is ended, and at Chrom's wedding, Robin finds himself afflicted with an illness he cannot place. Maybe a trip with Anna the Merchant will help him find what he's looking for... RobinxAnna, sort of fluff, rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

And One More

Chapter One

Robin stood perfectly still, despite the nagging itch from the collar of the formal robes he'd been asked to wear. In his outstretched palms, a lavish, velvety, sapphire pillow with gold trim held up an ornate silver band which sported a ludicrously large blue gemstone, featuring an equally absurdly spectacular design of the Brand of the Exalt.

"...in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?" Libra finished, eyes concentrated but joyous.

"I do!" Sumia replied excitedly. Robin smiled, he could practically see the joy bubbling up to her face as Chrom took the ring from the pillow and slid it on to her finger, whereupon their eyes locked in a pair of fawning stares.

"Then by the power vested in me by the might of the Divine Dragon, Naga," Libra picked up the book he had been reading and clapped it shut in his hand, "I now pronounce you man and wife."

The elaborate, ivory-colored walls of the castle erupted with cheers and applause. Lissa was inconsolable as she wept puddles of joyful tears onto the floors and ruined scores of handkerchiefs. The men and women of the Shepherds, as well as those of the noble houses of Ylisse began to stand and approach the bride and groom, extending handshakes and congratulatory hugs and kisses, from the more eccentric among them. As they finished their congratulations, each began to pour into a colossal hall which had been adorned with beautiful crystal and gold chandeliers which shone like second sun. Music began to play and the whole building was consumed with the cacophony of a hundred separate voices.

Robin was... distressed? Uncertain? He couldn't put it to words. He was, of course, delighted for Chrom, but an odd sense of remorse began to clutch at him. A sense of emptiness and lack of fulfillment which seemed to tighten his stomach. He sat alone in a corner of the hall as the party carried on gladly.

Chrom continued to shake hands and nod his head as the elder nobles advised him, a glass of champagne far from unattended in his hand. Sumia hung at his side smiling sweetly, not daring to speak or move, for fear of exposing her lack of any conceivable tact. Slowly, the gray-haired men began to fade from view, and Chrom caught a glimpse of his tactician sitting alone, staring contemplatively at nothing. He beckoned his wife to follow him as he strode over to his friend. "Robin!" he announced affably, excitement and contentment painted on his face, "What are you doing back here? Why don't you join the others? Laugh a little, have a bite to eat or something to drink."

"Uh... My stomach is a bit unsettled at present, thank you," Robin covered weakly.

"There's wine as well. That may loosen you back up," Chrom laughed.

"I... er, don't imbibe, thank you. I'd really just like to remain here until my stomach rights itself," Robin prevaricated, all but pushing his friend out of the way.

"If you say so. Let me know if you need anything," Chrom turned away, Sumia on his arm, leaving before Robin could thank him once more.

"Good choice. Nice and secluded," a sinister voice complimented. A scantily-clad dark mage slid herself down next to Robin.

"Oh, uh, Tharja, was it?" Robin backed away a bit, "Thank you, but I'm feeling a tad ill. You may just want to join the others."

"Forget the others! What are the symptoms of your illness?" her eyes widened.

"Tharja, really, thank you, but it's just a little stomachache. I'll be fine," Robin sighed.

"All right," she settled herself.

"...And I'd like to have some time to myself," he rolled his eyes.

She stood, "Another time, then," and hurried away.

Anna scanned the crowd. It was the size of one of her family reunions! But this wasn't her family. Her sisters were all on separate corners of the world. These were the Shepherds and Ylissean nobility, among whom she hadn't made a single friend except... "Robin?" she poked, taking a seat across from him.

"Look, for the hundredth time, I'd like to be left alone!" Robin breathed.

"Yikes. You're usually so calm, what bee got in your bonnet?" she smirked.

"I- my stomach is upset, that's all," he dismissed.

"Seems to me it's more than your stomach that's upset," Anna pressed.

Robin froze. Could she tell? Would she know anything more about what he was feeling? After all, it seemed to lessen when she was around, "I don't know. I feel strange. I'm happy for Chrom, but at the same time, I feel sort of... lost. What do I do now?"

"Seems like your memory loss is causing some 'I-don't-have-a-homesickness," she grinned.

"This isn't funny," he pouted, "It... hurts. In a way I can't seem to address."

Anna raised her index finger to her chin and thought a moment, "Maybe you'd care to go on a little journey, to take your mind off of armies and Exalts?"

"I suppose that couldn't hurt. I do like to travel," Robin considered.

"Maybe meet a little lady, that you can take home to Uncle Chrom," Anna teased.

He blushed, "Anna!"

"What? Ask any of the girls and they'll agree, you need to let your hair down a little. And your cloak, if you catch my drift," she cast a sardonic smile.

Robin's face flared an even deeper crimson, "Honestly, is this what you all talk about during a war?"

"You won't hear me complaining. Gossip's a currency, too, in a way. Maribelle thinks you're probably really muscular under that robe and Olivia says she likes your hair. She says she thinks you're cute, Robin. What do you think of that?" Anna continued.

"I think hearing talk of Maribelle fantasizing alone is worth some decent coin," Robin dodged.

"Hello!" Anna lightly tapped her knuckles on his forehead, "What about the lovely, voluptuous dancer who thinks you're cute?"

"That's... I don't know, nice of her, I just- Anna, this feels strange..." Robin's eyes searched the room.

"Don't try to push me away! What about the super busty, super-obssessed-with-you dark mage? Why did you turn her down?" Anna leaned in.

"She's sweet, I suppose, but she's crazy, Anna! She asked Gaius to steal a hair from my pillow, for Naga's sake! Now, I'm done answering these silly questions!" he growled frustratedly.

"Oh, I get it," Anna tapped her index finger on her forehead, a knowing smile playing across her face.

"Get what?" Robin cocked an eyebrow.

"You don't have to be all embarrassed about it. It's kinda sweet, in a way. I suppose Chrom's got a rather captivating air about him..." she looked at the Shepherds' captain.

Robin's face was now indiscernible from a ripe tomato, "Anna, you will stop that line of thinking right there! I do NOT, uh, go that way."

"Oh yeah?" she smirked, "I've yet to see proof to the contrary." She stood, "Hey everyone, Robin is-"

He leapt over the table and draped his arms around her, locking her into a kiss to silence her. Breaking it, he followed her announcement, "taking a leave of absence. With Anna. Yes, I'll be leaving Ylisse for a while." The eagerly attentive crowd returned to what they had been doing, unimpressed. He turned to Anna, whose turn it was to blush now, "Are you insane?"

"Says the man who jumped a girl to keep her quiet," she scoffed. "And prove a point, I hope," she whispered.

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "I guess I'm coming with you for certain now, then. When do we leave?"

"At the second crow of the rooster tomorrow morning," Anna patted his head. He stood to leave, but she placed a hand on his shoulder, "It wasn't exactly smooth, but that was a pretty nice move. Thanks," she winked before striding out herself.

Chrom ran over to his tactician, "Robin, what was that all about?"

"I'm not sure, myself, honestly," he stared at Anna as she left.

"Don't be ridiculous, you don't have to hide it from me. I think Anna's a wonderful woman. I'm glad you've found someone, too. I only wish you would have told me sooner," Chrom patted his dearest friend on the back.

"It's not really like that..." Robin knew his response would be ignored.

"Nonsense, you just shared a kiss! She seemed to enjoy it, too. Seems your more of a romantic than I thought," Chrom chuckled.

Robin exhaled sharply and began to walk out, "I need some rest."

"I imagine you do. Sumia and I will be getting some 'rest' tonight, too. Won't we dear?" he smiled suggestively at his wife, who nodded, blushing.

"Gods, what is with everyone today?!" Robin stormed out of the palace.


	2. Chapter 2

And One More

Chapter Two

Robin rubbed the sleep from his eyes, standing in the blue-green pasture, impatiently porting the heavy black bag at his side. The strap of it felt as though it were digging into his shoulder as he tapped his foot, waiting by the modest wooden cart, the horse whinnying in equal distaste. At last, their guide arrived: "Sorry for the wait," she yawned, "had to give my finances a once-over." She began to load her bag onto the cart, beckoning her companion to help her lift the heavy piles of merchandise aboard. As he prepared to load his own bag, she halted him, "What all do you have there?"

"A few tomes and quills, nothing special," he sighed, trying to move on.

"Nothing else? What exactly do you plan to do for the next three days while we're travelling?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"Read and write. I figured that was obvious," Robin shrugged.

"What about something a little more, I don't know, fun?" she poked.

Robin's face twisted a moment as he tried to find a reply. He gestured toward the pile of books "I don't know. This is just what I do. I never really had time for anything else."

"This is why we're taking a break," she chuckled, ruffling his hair.

Chrom stepped out of the gates of the castle. The air was still and quiet, a light mist setting in, and no sounds of birds chirping or insects buzzing. His footfalls only barely reached their ears in the quietude brought on by the pale peachy glow of the rising sun. "So, you're determined to leave us?" Chrom looked to his tactician.

"Only for now, Chrom. I promise, I'll return before too long, and if you need me, I'll-"

"Stop," Chrom put a hand up, "We're at peace now. Everything is fine. Concern yourself with your respite, Robin. If anyone deserves one, it's you."

"Thank you, Chrom," Robin managed.

"And I, uh, apologize for yesterday's… indiscretions. I might have had a little too much to drink," he coughed. "I didn't mean to imply anything," he looked at Anna, busily crossing off a list as she inspected the cargo.

"Please, Chrom. It was your wedding day. You had every right to enjoy it to the fullest," his tactician corrected.

He laughed, "Right, then. Thank you for your services to the Halidom of Ylisse, Robin. I wish you a safe journey and, at some point, a safe return," he extended a hand.

Robin took it, "And thank you for taking me in, Chrom. As I said, I'll be back before long. I just need to… clear my head."

"See that you do," Chrom waved him off and headed back toward the castle. Robin finished loading up his books, struggling to stuff the bag in one of the small spaces left unoccupied by Anna's merchandise.

"I should probably apologize for yesterday, too," Anna appeared behind him, "I was goading you a little too much when all you wanted was some privacy."

"It's no big deal," Robin announced with a plain face, internally rolling his eyes as he finally managed to squeeze his bag down into a crevice between a piles of swords and vulneraries. He turned and hopped out of the back of the cart and then began to walk around to the front of it, taking a seat at the front on the other side of where the reins had been tied. Anna took to the other side, untied the reins, and hopped into the seat next to him, giving the reins a taut whip to indicate to the horses to begin moving. They complied, dragging the wooden cart away at a brisk pace, with the occasional squeak and groan of the old wood as they worked up to a trot.

"Well," she sighed, adjusting her posture slightly, "we've got a long ride ahead of us. It's usually too quiet on these trips for me, so, do you have anything you want to talk about?"

"Where are we headed?" Robin put a hand over his face as the sun cut across their faces.

"First to Regna Ferox. I think you were there before with Chrom, right? We'll head to a nice little town called Deulldrama. Lots of good people there; it's where I started," she looked upward fondly.

"I never even thought about that," Robin lowered his hand and looked to her, "When exactly did you get started with this business?"

She laughed a little and put a finger to her head to remember, "Well, in my family, as you might have guessed, I helped my parents and older sisters with business all the time. They taught me the ropes on bookkeeping, how to properly gather and maintain an inventory, and, of course, the best ways to haggle and barter."

"But when did you set out on your own?" Robin brushed some hair from his face.

"I was getting to that," she smiled sarcastically, "I set out by myself at age eighteen. Took my first ride up by almost this same route. Brings back a lot of memories."

Robin looked off, mulling over her response. His face livened as a thought crossed his mind: "Wait, so you and your sisters aren't all the same age?"

"Of course not," she laughed, "Why would you think that?"

"You all look _identical_! How could I_not_ think that?" Robin threw his hands up.

She tapped her index finger on her chin, "I never really thought about that. It's kind of hard to see how it might look to someone outside the family." Robin stared at her a moment. Realizing she had nothing more to say, he turned to look at the horizon, sighing into the fresh, cold air of the morning. "What about you?" she stole a glance at him, "Do you remember anything about your family?"

Robin eased himself back, considering carefully for a moment, "There is one thing…" She leered at him inquisitively, leaning in. "I can recall my mother, very briefly. It's something that's not easy to put into words: I can recognize the scent of her perfume, the most vague vision of her figure, and the soporific murmurs of her voice, but, beyond that, there's nothing. It… sort of pains me to think about."

She nodded succinctly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort."

"It's all right," he waved a hand carelessly, "it's all a part of why I came out here. Understanding what sentiment plagues me." They shared a noiseless stare, then simultaneously turned their heads the other way, examining opposite ends of their horizon as the cart bounced along pebbles and dirt mounds that ravaged the trail ahead of them.

"So, know any good songs?" Anna laughed, turning an uncertain eye to her travelling companion.

"I never participated much in the other soldiers' revelry, I'm afraid," he looked down, grabbing a small blue book from behind him.

"Now what are you reading?" she glanced down at the small book, whose cover was well worn, bindings loose, and whose pages were stained with oily smudges.

"It's a journal," he remarked simply, producing a quill from much the same place.

"I didn't know you kept one," she mused.

"I do. Having already lost my memory once, I thought it proper to commit everything I can to paper," he set about scratching at a half-filled page, a few underlined dates dotting it above a landscape of illegible scribbling.

"Everything?" she pressed on, desperate for conversation.

"I make note of the days' events, battle plans, and individuals of importance that I meet. You never know," he looked to her and winked before setting back to the page.

"'Individuals of importance,' eh?" she looked down to the small book again and, in an instant, snatched it from his grip, "Did you write anything about me?"

"Is this whole trip about gathering more gossip?" he huffed, "because you won't find any in there. I try to be objective in the description of people."

"'Anna the Merchant,'" she read, "'Also known as 'The Secret Seller,' she has a bevy of identical sisters, each of whom run a shop much like her own. Anna has a well-developed skill as a locksmith that can make her invaluable in dispatching with doors and chests despite a lack of keys. She's also rather handy with a sword and uses an evasive style when in combat, useful attributes for any soldier. I am concerned that she, like other units bearing her style of fighting, cannot stand the raw damage that may come from stronger enemies. Her dodgy maneuvering ameliorates those concerns a bit, but I prefer to keep her out of danger, to bank on the certainties, until I feel confident that she will not be severely wounded.'"

"Can I have that back now?" he growled impatiently.

"BO-RING!" she chuckled, "Where's the good stuff? Secret loves, tales of heartbreak, fantastic speculation?"

"There aren't any. It's for recording facts," he repeated, now yanking the book from her hands.

"Fine," she sighed, "Why can't you do anything fun, huh? Live a little!"

"I think we disagree on our definitions of 'fun,'" he scoffed, making a few more marks in the journal before putting it away.

The two remained silent as the trip wore on, Robin turning to his books and Anna concentrating on the path ahead, occasionally admiring the landmarks she remembered from her youth, until they arrived at a bright green field, the sun now high in the sky and beaming proudly upon them. She gave a tug on the reins to tell the horses to come to a halt and shook her companion's shoulder, "Lunch time!" Robin nodded and hopped off the cart, circling around to the back to dig back into pile of inventory to reach his bag, pulling from a different compartment to withdraw a small loaf of bread and a ruddy dried fig. "Out here," she ordered from the nearby meadow, waving her hand. At her feet sat a baby blue blanket, covering the grass. Robin walked over and sat on it, breaking the end off of the loaf of bread. Anna stared intently at the fig, "Where did you get that?"

Robin looked down into his palm, then back up to Anna, "The fig? I just… found it."

"They don't grow in Ylisse or Regna Ferox," she reported, "And they certainly don't come dried."

"No, I dried it after I found it. I've heard that makes it taste better," Robin remarked, taking another bite from the bread.

"They're a Plegian specialty, dried figs," she continued.

"Oh?" Robin feigned interest.

"And I've always wanted try one," she cast him a sheepish stare.

"You want it that much? Take it," he handed the scarlet fruit over.

It was Anna's turn to stare into her palm, "Just like that?"

He looked puzzled, "Just like that. What, did you think I would charge you for it?" She didn't reply, only continued to stare at him sheepishly. "Money's not everything to everyone, you know," he smiled.

"That's not true," she took a bite out of the fig, "people say that, but they don't mean it. Everyone and everything in the world can be bought: safety, power, even love has a price."

Robin shook his head, "You can't honestly believe that."

"But I do. Everyone looks for finances in a partner. Nobody wants to marry a poor jester, no matter how sweet he may be," she demonstrated.

"Well…" Robin began.

"Or say there was some lovely lady you had your eye on," she continued, "what would you do? Take her out to fancy restaurants, buy her expensive jewelry?"

"I admit that your argument has some merit," his eyes tensed, "but isn't it kind of, I don't know, sad?"

"Look, I'd love to live in a rainbow-sprinkle world where money didn't matter, too, but that's just not the case," she stood from the blanket, scarfing down the last of the fig.

Robin sighed and stood as well, brushing a few crumbs from his cloak and holding half of the loaf of bread, "What about just now, then? If I only cared about money, why didn't I make you pay for that fig?"

"I don't know," she gave him a snide look, "Why didn't you? What ulterior motive did you have?"

"I didn't have an ulterior motive, I was just being friendly," he argued.

"So you wanted me to have a higher opinion of you," she calculated.

"No," he sighed exasperatedly, "how can you be so intelligent and yet so infuriatingly foolish?"

"I could say the same of you, Mister Genius Tactician, why don't you understand how incentives work?" she barked.

They both scoffed at the other and returned to the cart to put their things away, then hopped back into their respective seats wordlessly. The journey continued into the dark of night without a word, until, at long last, Robin posed a question: "Where are we going to sleep?"

"Tonight, in the cart," Anna had cooled off since their earlier argument and returned to her typical disposition.

"But there's no room in there! And what if we're attacked?" he railed.

She placed her finger over his lips, "Shh. War's over, there's no more gangs of bandits running around after a conflict like that. Anyway, we're in the middle of nowhere. Plus, there's plenty of room." She reached behind their seats and opened the flap of the cart which covered the cargo to reveal an empty space with two small blankets laid out on it, a pillow at the opposite end of each. Robin nodded in deference and crawled into the cart and onto one of the spots, draping the blanket over himself. Anna steered the cart off of the path a bit, called the horses to a stop and followed him into the cart, also covering herself. She looked to Robin to find him scratching at the pages of his journal again and rolled her eyes. "Go to sleep already," she commanded before rolling over. She heard Robin sigh and a few thumps as he shut the journal and tucked it away, turning opposite Anna.

Anna sat up, drowsy, but awake and alert. She looked about the inside of the cart for anything that might have woken her. Finding nothing, she began to settle herself, and her eyes settled on Robin, sleeping noiselessly, almost breathlessly, and his journal not more than an inch from his gloved hands. Anna thought to herself a moment before arching her back to reach over his sleeping form and pluck the journal away again. _There has to be something more to this_, she thought, rifling through the pages. As she turned, a small card slipped out from between the folds of the weathered text. Picking it up, she read it silently, "Debts," she traced a finger down to her own name, "Unpaid. Anna has elected to take me on a trip around the world with her. Needless to say, this is an important experience for me, and must be quite expensive for her. Her birthday is in just a few days; I'll have to try to find something for her. Now, what does one buy a retailer?" A smile alighted her face as she replaced the card. "Are you hiding anything else?" she whispered to the pages as she turned them once more. She came to the end of the book and found a page with some writing on it wedged inconspicuously between the last page and one more before it. This particular page was different from the others; however, in that it was not pockmarked by smudges and the lesions of age, but was almost as clean and well kempt, Anna imagined, as the day it was printed. She tried to read the hasty scrawl, "The nights are only bearable because I force my mind to be silent. Each day is a new torture with this pain. What do I feel? I've been telling the others it's a stomachache, or that I don't know, myself. I think I know, and it's no stomachache, for it isn't my stomach that pains me. I watched Chrom at the altar, coddling his blushing bride, as a few of the other Shepherds have done already. They've all got their mothers and fathers and husbands and wives to confide in, and I..." the text stopped, the final line was written at the page's base, "Well, I've my journal." A single mark seemed to dot the page precisely at the conclusion of that last sentence. Anna eyed the book carefully before replacing it by her companion's hand and lapsing back into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

And One More

Chapter Three

Robin awoke to the sounds of the cart rattling and the wheels creaking and sighing beneath him. As he sat up, he lamented sleeping on the hard wood as his back made a loud crack. He pushed open the small curtain covering the front of the cart and found Anna, manning the reins as before. She looked back to him, "Morning, sleepyhead."

He combed a hand through his hair, "Good morning." He stepped carefully out from the cart to plant himself in the seat next to Anna.

"And how are you feeling this morning?" she asked.

"Fine, I suppose. Why do you ask?" Robin concentrated on his hair.

"No pining illness in the pit of your stomach?"

"It comes and goes," he stole a wary glance at her.

She looked over to him, finding him cautiously contemplating something, staring straight ahead, eyes focused on nothing. "A bit cold this morning, eh? We're getting closer to Regna Ferox now. We'll be hitting the border before long," she provided.

"Good to hear, I don't know how many nights I can stand to sleep on those damned boards," he muttered jokingly, rubbing his spine for effect.

"Get used to it, buddy. We'll be doing it a bunch," she rebutted.

"Are you cold, though?" he allowed a concerning look to take his face.

"A bit," she cupped her hands and breathed into them.

Robin shrugged out of his cloak and draped it over her shoulders, "Take this, then."

"Don't you need it?" she tugged on the deep blue fabric.

"Chrom told me it's proper etiquette for a man to give his coat to a lady if she's cold. It's a rule, he said. I'll be fine," he held up a demonstrative finger.

She snickered, humored by how childishly unknowledgeable he could still be, "Well, thank you." She pulled the coat more fully around herself and huddled into it. She looked over to Robin, noting his plain clothes, "So that's what you wear underneath all that."

"It's what I had on when I met Chrom. Seemed to work well enough to me, so I kept the look," he explained, running a hand down the beige, cotton fibers of his shirt.

"Speaking of looks," she gestured toward his hair, "how do you get it to look like that? It's not a style I see often."

"My hair? That's just how it goes. All I do is part it," he combed through it with his fingers once more. "Your turn," he smirked back, "Why the ponytail?"

"Well, why not?" she breathed, clearly a little frustrated, "That's no business of yours."

"Then maybe you get where I'm coming from," he pulled out his journal and waved it at her face.

"The difference is I'm trying to help you through emotional difficulty," she rationalized, "and that can only be done if you talk to me."

"And how does asking me about my hair and poring over my personal journal help with emotional trouble?" he fed her an annoyed stare.

"Well, how else am I going to know how you feel? You don't talk to anyone," she demanded, "Ever."

"I talked with the Shepherds all the time!" he rebuked.

"Never about yourself, though," she corrected.

"People have enough troubles," he dismissed, "There isn't any sense in burdening them with my own. I'll get it sorted on my own. It's not their problem."

"I think we might have found the heart of the issue," she stared into him deeply, "It's all right to ask for someone's help. It's okay to confide in someone else. You don't have to do everything for yourself. We all have our moments of weakness."

"Maybe so, but I have to appear strong," he coughed.

"Why do you think that?"

"In the hours, days after Emmeryn's death, Chrom was… despondent, inconsolable. I can't imagine what pain it must have brought him, but it didn't lend well to the running of an army. I had to be the shoulder upon which the most powerful man in the country leaned. Do you think I could afford to be weak then? When Chrom dropped to his knees in the Plegia Castle courtyard, do you think I could have waited in the wings? What do you suppose I should have done? I did what I had to: moved us out of there. No emotions, no fear, just moved," he recounted, balling his hand into a fist and slamming it into his palm.

"But we're not at war now," Anna placed a placating hand on his back, "You're allowed to just be Robin again."

"I don't know who he is, Anna," he shook his head, eyes falling to the floor, "I just know that's my name, and what I've already done."

"Then that's who Robin is," she patted his back.

He cast an uncertain countenance to her, and then put a hand to his head, rubbing his eyes at length, "Thank you, Anna. I feel… better now."

She smiled at him and turned back to the reins, "So, you admit I was right. Listen to old Anna, she's been around once or twice and she knows a thing or two about people."

"Duly noted," he eyed the page of his journal dutifully, "maybe you could teach me some other things."

"Sure, why not?" she continued affably, "I do have plenty to teach. But from now on, we do things my way, okay?"

"Lex est sermo tuus," he placed a hand over his chest.

"Beg pardon?"

"Sorry, I read it in a book once. You have my promise, I'll do as you say," he smiled.

"Good," she sighed contentedly, " now tell me I'm pretty." The two shared a laugh as the sun rose and draped a gold curtain over the horizon toward which the horses lazily galloped and the cart groaned along.

Robin leaned over onto the storefront, a wooden desk with a scarlet tapestry laid precisely over it. He turned to inspect the shelves again: swords, axes, lances, tomes, healing salves of all sorts, even armor and every manner of potion and curare lined the old wooden planks in the otherwise empty rented stone building. He stepped back into the building to better balance a sword which appeared to tip slightly, as Anna had taught him the value of proper presentation: "No matter what, square one is aesthetics, that's what gets 'em in the door." Sure enough, a voice came from behind him, "Oy, what've you got that's good today?"

Robin turned to face the customer, a rather slovenly Feroxi man, "All sorts, my good man. What are you looking for?"

"I needs a new axe, on account o' my old one done broke."

"Not a problem," Robin removed a sleek, well polished iron axe from one of the shelves, "this here is a fine, durable axe, crafted by the hands of fellow Feroxi. It'll only run you eight hundred gold."

"That's at least six months' pay!" he grumbled.

"I could offer you a bronze axe of similar make for five hundred. Not as strong, but it will certainly get the job done," Robin gestured toward a rack sporting a few bronze axes.

"Nah, better stick with the iron, if its that much better," the Feroxi customer resigned.

"Terrific. You won't be disappointed," Robin handed over the weapon in exchange for a small cloth pouch tied with a gold string. He counted the coins as quickly as he could. Finding everything in order, he exclaimed, "Have a pleasant day!" to the Feroxi man who had already begun to walk away.

"Very nice," Anna lauded, appearing at the storefront and clapping her hands.

"Just doing what you taught me," Robin bowed.

"And doing a pretty good job of it, too," she smiled, walking around the bench and into the store. "Look at how cute you are, running the store all by yourself!" she cooed mockingly, ruffling his hair. He shot her a discontented glare. She inspected the shelves and various inventory, nodding her head. After she finished, she turned to Robin, "Do me a favor, take this to the man in the big building with the red roof," she produced an envelope, "Tell him Anna will make it worth his while." Robin nodded, taking the envelope and hurrying off. She smiled fondly, leaning on the desk as he jogged away. He had picked up so much already, it was almost staggering. She began humming a tune and clearing away some of the merchandise.

The indigo hue of night descended on them as the stars began to shine in full force. "So, we're off again?" Robin tilted his head to the side as he placed a crate in the back if the cart.

"Yep. But don't worry. It'll only take about a day, and the destination's sure to be a lively one," Anna beamed.

"Oh? Where are we going?" Robin wiped his forehead.

"Arena Ferox. There's a big swordsmanship showcase going on over there. I think your old pal Lon'qu is one of the entrants," she inspected the pole to which the reins were tied before looking back to Robin.

Robin nodded happily, "We'll have to get there quickly, then."

"You got it. But for now, let's get some sleep," she moved toward the cart.

"Anna," Robin began modestly, "all this moving around... Does it ever bother you? Do you ever have the desire to remain in one place for good?"

"The thought has crossed my mind," she put her hand to her neck, "but like you said, 'this is just what I do,' it's never really bothered me. And nobody's tied me down yet, though that's not to say they haven't tried."

"I'm rather surprised you don't have a husband," Robin admitted.

"They're all either after my money, or trying to stymie me, and those are both big deal-breakers for this girl," she snickered.

"Certainly, you deserve better," Robin agreed.

"But," she turned her eyes to the stars, "I keep hoping that one day I'll find a sweet, strong, caring guy who'll love me for who I am and let me stay as I am."

"Why, is that all?" Robin joked cocking an eyebrow as he moved to stand at her side.

"Oh, shut up," she laughed and gave him a shove, and then hopped into the back of the cart. Robin murmured a "Goodnight" as he crawled over her to reach his blanket.

"Well, I'll be damned," boomed a voice from the front of the small, red-tented stall which sat in front of the mighty Feroxi arena, "if it isn't the Shepherds' genius tactician."

"Khan Basilio," Robin bowed to the intimidating Feroxi man, "it's good to see you again."

"Likewise, kid," he grinned, "likewise."

"Would it kill you to stop running off, you moronic oaf?" scolded another familiar voice.

"Khan Flavia," Robin extended, "well met."

"Robin," the blonde khan started, "what the hell are you doing in a market stall?"

"A little soul searching while I travel with Anna," he brushed a bit of dirt from his cloak.

"Oh, the redhead," Flavia ascertained, "I was certain you'd remain with Chrom."

"As was I. But with the war ended and a doting bride on his arm, it seems Chrom doesn't have much need of his tactician," Robin and Basilio laughed simultaneously.

"It should be a fine show today," Flavia ignored her fellow ruler, "the weather agrees with us."

Robin nodded, then looked to Basilio, "Say, Basilio, will Lon'qu be a part of today's event?"

"Damn straight he will!" Basilio clenched his fist confidently.

"Wish him luck for me, then," Robin asked, "and tell him I'd like to speak to him sometime."

"Can do," the west-khan agreed.

"Khans Basilio and Flavia! What can I get you?" Anna raced toward the stall.

"We were just sayin' hello to ol' Robin here, lass," Basilio grunted. He leaned in to the merchant, "I see you got him on a short leash."

She put a hand over her mouth, "Not at all. We're equal partners in this venture."

"Whatever you say, lass. I gotta mosey," Khan Basilio strode off.  
Khan Flavia studied the former Ylissean tactician another moment before also taking off.

"I forgot that you knew them," Anna smiled at Robin.

"I didn't think they'd remember me," Robin stared at the two as they hurried off in opposite directions.

"Nonsense. I'm sure your excellent leadership left a great impression on them. Maybe great enough that you could even lean on them and their coffers for a favor or two..." she looked away.

"I doubt it," he chuckled, shrugging.

"Anna, darling!" came a woman's voice. She sauntered into the tent and hugged the redheaded merchant tightly.

"Good to see you, Isabella," Anna squeaked under the pressure of the hug. Breaking it, she put a finger forward, "Would you excuse me just a moment?"

Isabella, a girl the same height as Anna, sporting a green mud-stained tunic and a pair of light brown trousers, as well as a wealth of platinum-blonde hair, nodded, "Of course."

Anna beckoned Robin over, "This is Isabella, one of my best suppliers," she explained.

"Understood, I'll stay out of the way," Robin held his hands up.

A trace of a blush ran across Anna's face, "Uh... Actually... Here's the thing... Isabella considers me a really good friend, as I do her, but she was very worried about my becoming a spinster, given my frequent rejection of proposals, so I sort of told her you were my husband."

"You told her WHAT?!" Robin started.

"Shh! Not so loud," she scolded, "Look, just follow my lead." Anna walked back to her friend.

"So, this is Robin," Isabella gave an evaluative stare to Anna's companion.

"That's right. Pleased to meet you," Robin extended his hand. Isabella took it carefully.

"Can I count on the elixirs next week, then?" Anna begged of her friend.

"Certainly," Isabella began, but a suspicious frown traced the edges of her face, "if I can see a kiss from the happy couple."

Anna looked to her friend, then to Robin, "All right. Why not? Come here, sweetie," Anna leaned her head and laid a peck on Robin'a cheek.

"Oh, Anna, dear," Isabella scoffed, "A real kiss."

Robin blushed, "Right, let's not be shy, honey," he wrapped his arms around her and locked into a deep kiss with her, letting his tongue into her mouth, then slowly withdrawing. She forced a pleased smile.

Isabella laughed, "Sorry for doubting you, dear. You know how I worry. You'll get your elixirs, no problem. Enjoy yourself, darling!" She took one last glance at Robin before departing, "Handsome little number."

Once she was out of earshot, Anna crossed her arms, "Get that wandering tongue of yours anywhere near my mouth again and I'm liable to lop it off."

"Whose idea was this husband thing anyway?" Robin railed, "I was just playing along!" They both blushed and turned away from one another.


	4. Chapter 4

And One More C4

Chapter Four

"Robin," the Feroxi swordsman remarked simply upon seeing his former comrade-in-arms.

"Lon'qu. It's been quite a while," Robin replied. "That was quite a show you put on out there."

He smiled slyly, "I wasn't Basilio's champion for nothing, you know. Nevertheless, I still have room to improve…" Robin let him finish his thought as Lon'qu stared into the horizon, ignoring his company. "Did you have need of me?" he finally asked.

"I wanted to catch up with you while I was here, and," Robin pressed his index fingers together, "I thought perhaps you'd care to teach me a bit about swordplay, given that I still don't know much."

"I'm no teacher," Lon'qu scoffed, "but you have raised an interesting question: Why are you here?"

Robin scratched his neck; "I'm travelling the world with Anna, to gain some experience in it. I've forgotten anything I might have known about the various nations, so I thought I would try to learn more."

"That's not the extent of it," Lon'qu rejected curtly.

"What do you mean?" Robin searched his eyes.

"A man doesn't just take a break from his profession of choice. There has to be something else. An emotional reason, most likely," he demonstrated.

"Well, you've hit the nail on the head, Lon'qu," Robin admitted, "I didn't realize how perceptive you were."

"It comes with the territory," he raised his sword horizontally and gauged it in his hand.

Robin laughed, "So, about that training…"  
Lon'qu turned his sword forward, "I suppose I can spare an hour or two. Brace yourself!" he charged at Robin, who barely rolled out of the way of the quick lunge. "Fast learner," Lon'qu chuckled.

Robin sidled up to Anna, who was sighing exasperatedly into a pile of potions and concoctions, relentlessly picking them up, sighing, and placing them back down again, counting repeatedly. He put a hand on her shoulder, as she didn't notice him walk up, "Is something the matter, Anna?"

She threw her hands up, "I'll say there is! I didn't make a single sale all day! This is the biggest thing that's going to happen in Regna Ferox for the next decade, and I didn't get a single coin dropped into my pocket!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Anna," Robin rubbed his neck, not sharing in her devastation, "is there something I could do?"

She looked around, "That's nice of you to offer, but, no. We have to pack it in for the day. Although…"

Robin walked around in front of her, "Although…?"

"Although, if you're willing to listen, it's times like this a girl could use a shoulder to cry on," she nudged him meekly.

"Oh?" a devious smile worked across Robin's face, "Maybe you could rent one?"

"What do you," she realized what he was doing, "Hey! No fair! I may be pragmatic, but I still need companionship! I'm human, too!"

"You? Companionship? Really?" Robin cocked an eyebrow at the merchant.

"Yes! Do you even need to ask? Just because I'm always travelling alone doesn't mean I always want to. Why do you think I extended you the offer?" she sighed, frustrated.

Robin's eyes widened a moment, "I'm sorry, Anna. I didn't realize."

"Sheesh, why can't you just listen like you always do?" she poked at him.

"Maybe I'm holding out for more money," he stood over her and ruffled her hair lightly in the same manner she had already done so often to him.

"Stop it!" she fumed.

"Sorry," he smiled broadly, putting his hands forward, "After what you said the other day, I felt like I had to razz you a little. I'm happy to listen, free of charge."

"Good," she expelled another long sigh, "then grab a chair and get comfortable, this could take a while."

"Sure," Robin grinned, "I'll just open up a tab…"

She punched him softly, "You just aren't going to let this go, are you?"

"I'll drop it as soon as you admit that money can't buy you everything," he crouched to meet her eye level, and then pulled a seat away from the stall.

"So," she began, "it started as soon as you left. The khans never came back, thank you very much, and, try though I may, every Feroxi man I tried to hail just kept on moving, and every woman just gave me this wicked look. I even had to work the kids a little, but I couldn't get them to budge, or, that is, their parents, either! So, I went to get a drink and, wouldn't you know it, I met Sarah there. I've told you about Sarah, haven't I? We talked about inventories for an hour or so and…"

Robin continued to nod as the story Anna spun stretched the length of the sky and made the sun give a yawn as its flame finally extinguished for the day, leaving her to draw her tale to a close as the night winds breathed their last breath, pushing the clouds away to reveal moonlight. As the stars began to rear their heads in the blackness of the night sky, Anna and Robin retreated to the cart, packing away their excess inventory.

"So, what did you end up doing the rest of today?" she asked striding along, a crate in her arms.

Robin carried two of the same, keeping pace with her, "I went to hone my skills at the blade with Lon'qu."

"Swordplay?" she shook her head, a bemused smile plastered on her face, "We really need to find you a hobby."

"How many times do I have to say this?" he looked at her seriously, "I have hobbies: reading and writing." He paused a moment, then grinned at her, "Oh, and sometimes I help out this merchant woman I know. She's all right, I suppose, but a little nosy."

"Really? Interesting," she tilted her head to the side, playing along, "Because I've had this boy helping me around the shop. I think he used to be a tactician, or something. He's nice enough, but he can't take advice or a hint."

Robin chuckled into his cloak for a moment, but then turned back to her, "Wait, what do you mean I can't take a hint?"

"You'll figure it out, smart guy," she gave him a wink and a nudge. Robin continued toward the cart, puzzled, the machinery in his mind constantly running, which showed plainly on his face. Anna laughed into her palm as she watched him so thoroughly perplexed.

"I can hear you giggling over there," Robin huffed, preparing to enter the cart for bed.

"You're adorable when you don't know what to do," she laughed out loud, following behind him.

The two said their goodnights. One last time, Robin rolled to face Anna and asked her to speak plainly. Her response was to erupt into another fit of laughter and turn away, Robin blushing and muttering, disgruntled, rolled to the other side as the two fell off into sleep.

As morning dawned and sunlight knifed into the cart, Robin was, for once, the first awake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, yawning noiselessly, and looked down to find the redhead clutching at her pillow affectionately. He smiled, deciding it would be a pleasant surprise if he didn't wake her, and crawled carefully over top of her to seat himself where the reins were meant to lead. He stepped down from the cart, untied them from their post, and reassumed his seat to begin rifling through the dozens of maps littered on the cart's front. Finally divining where they were, and locating their next destination, which Anna had shared with Robin the previous day, he copied Anna and took up the reins to give them a whipping tug. The horses obeyed and began to amble forward, shifting and rocking the old cart precariously due to the plentiful bumps in the road.

An hour or so passed before Anna emerged from the parting curtains covering the cart. Surprised, she lowered herself awkwardly into the passenger's seat, "What are you doing up so early?"

"Me, early? I think you're a little late," he pointed a gloved hand to the sun to indicate the hour.

"Huh, look at that," her eyes were blank, "I think that's the first time I've woken up late in… Well, ever."

Robin could see the thoughts struggling in her mind, "Do you have any idea why?"

She shook her head and breathed, "I do remember a rather pleasant dream, but, this morning, when I woke, I felt a bit sick to my stomach."

"Your stomach?" Robin looked back to her, "Do you need medicine? I'm certain we have something in that pile."

She shook her head again, "No. I think I'll be fine if I just," she yawned at length, "get a little more rest."

"Sure. You work too hard sometimes," he patted her shoulder.

She laughed weakly, "I used to say the same thing to you, remember?"

"There were a few nights, yes," he smiled straight ahead.

"More than a few," she yawned broadly again, "I distinctly remember having to order you to bed at least once a week." She paused and laughed giddily, "You got so mad! I think you even threatened to have me thrown out due to insubordination!"

"I don't remember that," he turned and looked to her incredulously, "Did I really?"

"Yeah…" her voice was trailing off, "you were saying something about Emmeryn and Chrom, you sounded confused and sick and frustrated, and so I just told you to give up and go to bed. You gave me this look like you could have cut me in half then and there, but instead you told me to 'take my opinions to someone who wants them, before I toss you out of here for trying to command a superior officer.'"

He mulled the thought over, "I really don't recall that at all."

"Probably because the next time I saw you, you were face down in a pile of papers, ink staining your hands and half-finished notes sticking to your face," she laughed giddily again and began to slump over, shutting her eyes and landing on his shoulder, finishing by whispering, bemused tone still intact, "So mad. Haha…"

Robin continued the next several hours of the journey in silence, Anna breathing softly over his shoulder. He would look over and laugh lightly to himself when her nose would wrinkle or her breath would become short suddenly. The cold Feroxi winds began to envelop them even further as they proceeded to the east, chilling the air to freezing. Anna's face sunk against Robin's shoulder further, and her face soured, despite her otherwise catatonic state. Robin, realizing her problem, removed his cloak again, beginning with the left shoulder and pulling it around his back to lay it around her without waking or disturbing her sleep. The cart continued squeaking into the silent hills of the countryside for another hour before Anna's head shifted again, rubbing, almost nuzzling her companion's arm while she murmured his name.

All at once, she started awake, this time shouting, "Robin!"

"What?!" his gaze jumped to her.

She stared at the ground, "Nothing, sorry. I was having a dream."

"Something to do with me?" Robin gave her a sly wink.

"Sort of," she exhaled, "You aren't going to Plegia any time soon, right?"

"Not unless you bid me do so. I'm in this for the long haul, Anna," he patted his chest in solidarity.

"Good," she managed, turning to stare straight ahead. After a few minutes, her senses caught up with her, "Oh, gods! It's nearly sunset!"

Robin nodded, "You must have been pretty tired. You were sleeping on my shoulder all day."

Her cheeks caught a spurt of rosy coloration, "Sorry."

He smiled back to her gently, "It wasn't a problem, honestly. I'm glad you got the rest you so clearly needed."

"I can take over whenever you're ready," she pointed to the reins clasped in Robin's hands.

"That's all right. I've still got a few hours left in me," he shrugged, "Now, care to tell me about this dream?"

Again, she blushed, "I don't remember much about it. You were in it, yes, but…" She held the pause for a full minute, tapping her index finger to her chin, "I don't remember. You were there, that's all I recall."

"All right. If you say so," Robin shrugged again and looked back out toward the road.

"Thank you," she sighed after a moment, draping the cloak back over Robin's shoulders.

"Are you certain you won't need that?" his eyes drooped.

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks," she repeated, sitting straight against the cart, eyes now sharp and evaluative.

The dynamic returned as the two began to share stories anew as dark set in around them, laughing and smiling into the night. Robin gave a lengthy yawn, stretching his arm to the sky.

"Why don't you take the night off?" Anna pushed on his shoulder.

"No, no. It won't do any good to have one of us ready to go and the other exhausted like this for the whole trip," Robin shook his head, "either both of us turn in, or neither one of us does."

"You drive a hard bargain," she laughed, "Okay, then. Bedtime for both of us."

"Agreed," he steered the cart off the side of the path and whipped the reins to halt the horses, who were happy to slow their pace to a grinding halt. As the cart stopped, he rubbed his eyes and slowly threw himself into the cart again, calling attention to how uncomfortable the boards were again.

"Goodnight," she mocked, following close behind him. As she lay down, beginning to adjust herself to make the space comfortable, she heard the all too familiar scratching that meant Robin was writing in his journal again. She rolled over and reached over his chest to slam the book shut. "Goodnight," she repeated.

"Fine, goodnight," he sighed, "but I was just writing about this young woman I met. Gods, she was so beautiful…"

Anna's head shot up, "Really? Let me see!"

Robin laughed a scathing, absurd laugh, "I'm only kidding. There's no such woman."

She stared at him, unsure of how to respond, "No I- you're lying."

"No, I'm not," he handed the book, now looking more weathered than ever, over to her, "I was taking inventory."

Her mind froze, "Oh, shoot! Inventory! I forgot to do inventory today!"

"That's why I was doing it. Didn't you hear me?" he flipped open the journal and indicated a page with a long, delicate list scrawled along it in the tiniest, most delicate print Anna had ever seen.

"Oh," she stared at the page blankly, "Thank you."

He snatched the book back from her and slapped it shut, "You're welcome. Goodnight."

She nodded and rolled back over and took stock of her thoughts, feeling unbalanced. It was the same feeling as the dream: her heart was pounding unprovoked, her head was strangely clouded and unable to reason, and her lips creased into an implacable smile. It couldn't be, could it? There was no way the tactician she had joked about, joked with, could be… affecting her, could there?


	5. Chapter 5

And One More

Chapter Five

Natural order was restored as Anna's eyes slowly parted first the next morning, though quickly she realized something about her ritual of waking was unnatural. She stared into a field of deep purplish fabric, knowing that it was not her blanket. She then moved her arms to find her right trapped under her and her left rising and falling without her input. Realizing the position she was now in, she gasped quickly and drew herself off of Robin, blushing noticeably. She shuffled out of the cart's interior and took up the reins, as day after countless day before.

She sighed to herself and sat back, only to be confronted with a voice in her ear, "Good morrow." Anna leapt out of her seat and felt a shiver jolt up her spine before summoning the courage to look to where the voice had come from.

She found beside her the frighteningly familiar form of a particular scantily clad dark mage, raven colored hair flowing down over her face. "C-can I help you?" Anna shivered.

"Mayhap you can. I'm looking for Robin. I understand he was travelling with you," she responded in a dry, curt, and altogether insulting tone.

"Y-yes. B-but he's asleep right now," Anna managed, still recovering from the initial shock.

"Never stopped me before," she grinned a vicious, obscene grin.

"I think he'd be much happier to speak with you if he was awake," Anna reasoned.

"I think I'm don't give a damn what some two-bit saleswoman says, I'm going to go have a chat with him," she produced an unsettling laugh.

"Wait-" Anna tried to catch her, but was too late.

"Ooooh Roooo-biiiiiiin…" she called in a voice that would make a dead man nervous.

Robin sat up at the sound of his name, inhaling deeply and looking toward the call. "Oh," he said dryly through a yawn, "Tharja."

"Glad I found you," she snickered menacingly, "Now, no more leaving my side without warning, okay? Or else I'll have to curse you so you stay put forever."

Robin looked to Anna through the parted curtains, unsure if Tharja was actually capable of performing such a curse, "You want to travel with us, Tharja?"

"'Us?'" she cocked an eyebrow, then, looking back, remembered, "Oh, right. Well, I want to travel with you, that's for certain," she laughed maniacally again, wrapping her arms around Robin, who again looked to Anna for help.

"Tharja," Robin began nervously, "I appreciate it. You're a nice girl and all, but..."

"But what?" she pleaded, an inch from his face.

"But I'm not, er, romantically interested," he frowned.

She looked as if he had spit on her, "Oh." Her eyes welled and she pouted her lips, making the impression of a scorned puppy, "I'm sorry. I really liked you. I just wanted to be closer to you..."

"I'm sorry, too, Tharja. I don't mean to make you upset. I just don't think we're... compatible. I'm sure you can find someone else, though. Someone who'll be perfect for you," he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No," she shook her head, "it can only be you."

"Tharja, please. Thank you, but you really should move on," he held onto her hand, eliciting a blush.

She paused and stared at him a moment eyes tracing up and down, to discern any weakness or misgivings. "Yeah, yeah..." her voice returned to its signature insincerity, "I'm leaving." She moved out of the cart and stopped to leer furiously at Anna, then jumped down and began walking the opposite direction of the cart.

After a minute, Robin emerged from within the cart and looked at Anna, "That was some wake up call."

"Sorry, I tried to stop her," she shrugged apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," he waved her off. Lowering himself into the seat beside her, he asked, "Any more strange dreams?"

Anna swallowed. Strange didn't even begin to describe how she had started feeling whenever the young tactician was around her. Nonetheless, palms shaking, she ignored it: "No." In an effort to turn the conversation away from her, she asked, "What about you? How's the old stomach coming along?"

Robin patted his stomach lightly, "I suppose I can't complain. Maybe this little trip really was what I needed after all."

"Good to hear," she smiled, "Wait, does that mean you doubted me?"

"No," Robin looked away, "I just thought this would be more of a way of stifling my illness, rather than a wholesale cure."

"What wonders a little gold can work, eh?" she nudged him with her elbow.

"Oh, give it a rest," he rolled his eyes, "Unless you want me to start again."

Robin inhaled the crisp, salted air as the Feroxi trade ship drew near its destination of Valm Harbor. He could already hear thunderous shouts extending from the cobblestone and wood platforms and shops that sat just beneath the horizon. He looked back from the railing upon which his arms rested to the wheel of the ship, where Anna stood, laughing and chatting with the ship's captain. She smiled and waved down to him as the ship rocked slowly along. After a few moments, she excused herself and walked down to the ship's bow. She leaned next to Robin and looked forward, copying his posture, "So, what do you think?"

Robin shook his head, gaze still darting from side to side, taking in the sights, "The ship is incredible! Sailing is quite a thrill. The lull of the sea is a really refreshing change."

She smiled, noting his eyes charged with childlike wonder, "I was asking about the harbor."

"Oh," his eyes set straight ahead again, "It looks beautiful as well. The architecture has some noticeable differences from that of Ylisse and Regna Ferox."

"You bet," she took up an instructive tone, "Valm is a continent whose political and cultural ideologies are as divided as they get. Territories the size of small nations, which are controlled by individual dynasts, make up the political sphere, while the culture of each dynast can vary and be shared between others."

"Fascinating," Robin still stared straight ahead, taking her words in, "such division can allow for a lot of diversity, but aren't these dynasts worried for their safety in the case of some collective attack? Without unity, a land of this size could be picked apart and bleed from within."

Anna stared at him, surprised by the evaluation he conjured up so quickly, "Who's to say? I don't talk much about military matters when I'm in town, and neither should you. It's sort of a social faux pas."

"Oh, of course," he nodded, lowering his gaze to the shimmering sea, then back up to a passing flock of gulls. Anna smiled at him again.

"This will be great!" Robin breathed, stepping into the worn, but accommodating wooden building, "I haven't had a chance to bathe in over a week."

"Trust me," Anna waved a hand in front of her nose, "I know."

"Hate to break it to you, but you're no rose either," he smirked, walking behind her.

Her face flared red, "S-Shush, you. I haven't had the chance, same as you." He nodded and laughed a little to himself as Anna addressed the innkeeper, "Evening, sir. Two rooms, both under 'Anna.'"

The plain-faced middle-aged man standing opposite her flipped through a ledger and pointed a finger to it, then wrinkled his nose in confusion, "There is only one room listed under that name."

Anna's eyes widened, "That can't be. I made the reservation a week ago. Can you check again? It's Anna, A-N-N-A." The innkeeper examined the ledger again and shook his head. "Oh, shoot..." Anna remarked dejectedly to no one in particular.

"It's all right, Anna. I'll just sleep in the cart tonight," Robin dismissed.

"No, no. That's hardly fair. Plus, you really do need that bath," she snickered. "I'll be away most of tonight anyhow, taking in the local trends. Unless you wanted to come?"

"No offense to you, Anna, but there's nothing I'd rather do less than spend all night shopping," he laughed. Robin mulled the thought over for a minute, then added, "Are you going to be all right, though? Walking around all by yourself, late at night?"

"Sweet of you to ask, but I'll be fine. I know the area well, I have plenty of friends there, and it's always well lit," she took the key from the innkeeper and handed it to Robin, who thanked her and made his way toward the room. Anna began to hum and traipse out onto the waterfront marketplace.

Robin strode down the hallway and found their assigned room. Unlocking the door, he found a mostly modest living space with a desk, chair, and rather large bed dominating the main room, with a bathroom off to the side. Robin set a stack of books down on the deck and began to write in his journal.

And now for that bath, thought Robin, rising from his chair at the desk in the modest room. He stretched his arms out and over his head, yawning loudly. He folded the book he had been reading shut and stared at the mostly melted candle that accompanied it on the desk, still burning brightly. He looked up to the window and was startled to note how dark it had become, regarding the pitch black that had doused the harbor. His mind drifted to Anna and her safety, worrying and wondering if perhaps he should have gone with her. No, he calmed himself, she's a capable woman who can handle herself without my help. I'd probably just get in the way. He sighed and began to disrobe, heading to the sectioned-off bathroom. He set about filling the tub with warm water and, when it was sufficiently filled, gave a long exhale as his muscles relaxed into the ebbing heat and began cleaning himself. For what felt like hours, Robin sat in silent repose, enjoying the relaxation and the calm, until he realized that he would have to leave the bathroom sooner or later. He stepped out of the tub, a little disappointed to see it go.

The door clicked, "Still awake in here?"

Robin sprang to his feet at the sound of Anna's voice, hurrying to yank a towel off the provided rack and draw it over his waist. Just as he managed to whip the white fabric around his behind, Anna stepped in. She stopped after entering the doorway, staring at him. She cursed herself, but couldn't help blushing at the sight of his bare chest, beads of moisture streaming down and his face beaming an uncertain smile as strands of wet hair stuck to it. She tried to cover her sudden captivation with a snicker, "Sorry. Didn't realize I was interrupting bath time."

"No, it's my bad. I lost track of time," he explained, sighing with relief.

"Well, now that I'm home, would you care to dress yourself?" she giggled, poking his abdomen.

"Right," he nodded, laughing along with her. He stepped back into the bathroom and redressed himself in his plain clothes, taking up his cloak from the floor and hanging it on a rack in the corner of the room. He looked back to see Anna shaking her hair and removing the tie that supported her perpetual ponytail and watched as it fell about her shoulders. "So that's what it looks like," he muttered unconsciously.

"Roll that tongue back up, buddy. I'm just doing this so I can take a bath tomorrow, too," she scolded him.

"Don't get so high and mighty," he smirked, "you thought you could hide it, but I'd wager you liked what you saw when you stepped in."

Despite herself, a crimson line traced across her face, "Don't flatter yourself, smart-mouth."

The two slid beneath the blankets of the king size bed in the center of the room and exchanged goodnights before facing opposite one another. Robin sighed quietly into his pillow. The redhead merchant could be so vexing, so trying, and yet he felt completely at peace with her. As though he could bear all of his honesty and not worry about pretenses of nobility and strength he had to wear among the Shepherds. She was... amazing, and yet, he was scared. What if she didn't care for him? What if all that he felt for her would be wasted because of her free-spirited life? It was impossible for Robin to gauge how she felt about him as he wrestled his thoughts into sleep. A thought occurred to him as the lights of his mind dimmed, however: Anna's birthday was tomorrow. Yes, Robin thought, he would get her a gift and ask how she felt, no holds barred. He settled himself into the pillow deeper wondering how he was going to convince himself to do that tomorrow.

Anna, too, was restless. She had tried to make this night about profit margins and quick cash-grabs, as in days past, but, as of late, her mind had become absorbed with Robin and his every mannerism. The analytical way he thought about things, the humor and wit he had that ran parallel to her own, but more than anything, there was that reassuring, warm, in-control tone to his voice that made Anna want to throw herself into his arms. She couldn't recall ever having felt that way about anyone. "Robin?" she whispered to the wall. She waited a moment and heard only a few weightless exhales, then tried to force herself back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

And One More

Chapter 6

A bird chirped loudly outdoors, stirring Robin into the pale daylight. He tried to sit up, but was held down at once. Looking down to his chest, he discovered Anna's arm wrapped around it, her face contented as she sighed deeply in her sleep. Robin smiled to himself and lay back down, relaxing at the sight of her so comforted. After a few minutes, she also woke with a small yawn and sighed again as her eyes fluttered open. Robin looked down to her, her hand still resting on his chest, "Good morning."

"Morning," she managed, half awake. She lay still for a moment before recovering her senses, realizing that Robin was not moving. "Planning on getting up at all today?" she laughed.

"As soon as you let me," he smirked at her, and then looked down to his chest.

Anna withdrew her arm immediately, "Whoops, sorry." A cheerful ruddiness claimed her face.

"No trouble," Robin shook himself as he stepped out of the bed.

"Now then," she regained her composure, "I was still going to get a bath this morning. That means you either leave, or you're on triple-double-mega probation around here if you stay."

"Understood. I actually wanted to have a look at the markets myself today," he laughed, grabbing his cloak from the rack.

She couldn't hide her surprise, "Oh. Well, have fun, then."

He nodded and headed out the small wooden door frame, "You too."

The day was chilly, the air around Valm Harbor whipped and cut into the fewer and fewer people meandering on the streets, biting through the soft, thin clothes that appeared to be the local fashion. Winter was coming, Robin ascertained. It had caught he and Anna only slightly in Regna Ferox, as it was always cold there, but now the air of other lands was frozen and undesirably sharp as the chills set in. Nonetheless, Robin walked along the lengthy row of storefronts that lined the harbor: a blacksmith, a tavern, a fruit market, a jeweler, a store hosting a large selection of tiny glass trinkets which were obviously intended for tourists. Wait, Robin realized, a jeweler. That's where he would find Anna's gift. He stepped into old building and looked left and right, noticing an old bench where a young woman stood, hands crossed together just below her waist. She looked to him and smiled meekly as he entered. Looking at a few displays, Robin walked to the young woman.

"What can I do for you?" she smiled.

He sighed nervously, "I'm looking for something to give a… good friend of mine. It's her birthday…" Robin's hands attempted to speak the rest of his sentence, but to no avail.

"Why, how sweet!" she grinned at him, "Your friend is lucky to have a friend who is so thoughtful."

"I'm lucky to have her," his subconscious reminded.

"Aww!" she clasped her hands together in excitement, "Don't you worry; I'll find the perfect thing!" The young woman raced into a back room of the store, blocked by the old wooden bench. Robin waited at the bench, tapping his foot and looking around while he heard her rummaging through every nook and cranny of the back room. "Hey," she poked her head out from the door, "tell me more about your friend so I know what to look for."

Robin crossed his arms, looking to the ceiling to think, "Her name is Anna. She's a travelling merchant, and I've been travelling with her a few months now. She has this wonderful red hair, always done up in a ponytail…"

"Oh!" she interrupted his daydreaming, "I saw her last night. She mentioned she was looking for what was trendy around here."

"That would be her, all right," Robin nodded.

"Ooh!" the young woman squeaked, "I know just the thing!" Robin watched as she leapt back into the room behind her and tore through boxes and crates and knocked the linings from shelves as she searched. After a few minutes, she emerged again, "Um… I couldn't narrow it down. I found these two." She held in her left hand a gold necklace with a shimmering aqua-colored gem at its center and, in the right, a gold band with a rather large, soft, white diamond mounted onto it. "What do you think: the ring or the necklace?" she jingled each in front of him.

Robin looked at both items and thought deeply, "Both. If I need to, I'll return one."

The young girl blushed, handing the items over, "Oh my gods! Really?! You're going to-" He nodded, but held his finger to his lips to indicate she should be silent. "I can't believe this," she calculated the prices giddily, "I wish I had someone like you. Someone who could be this sweet and romantic and-" Robin nodded again, putting the finger to his lips once more, emphasizing the gesture. "Right, sorry. Ten thousand gold," she flashed a bright smile. Robin stifled a sigh, reaching into his pocket.

_

Anna sat back onto the bed. What had been his hurry this morning? Usually, Robin would sit and talk to her when they awoke. They would share an anecdote or tell one another an old joke they had heard. It was a pleasant way to wake up, always, but Robin had seemed to be in a rush to leave today. Anna tapped her finger nervously to her chin. Had she frightened him this morning, with her arm over him? Was he not interested, and did the idea that she was bother him? Anna felt sick, clutching her stomach and sticking out her tongue in protest. Maybe this was how it felt to be turned down, Anna surmised. She felt even worse than the day she had failed to sell anything at Arena Ferox. But why? Money was more significant than a transient voyage with a tactician, wasn't it? She couldn't deal with the thought. She began to disrobe and started up the bath, submerging herself into the scalding-hot water as she endeavored to relax painful thoughts away. For a time, it worked, her muscles easing and loosening under the coursing flow of the moisture around her, cleaning herself and washing away the frustrations. For a moment, she was at peace. Before long, however, her worry caught up with her. What could Robin be doing? Where would he have gone? And did he care about her as much as she did him? Before Anna could think, there came a knock at the door. "Just a minute," she yelled, stepping out of the bath and covering her dishabille with a large, well placed towel. She opened the door slightly, "Yes?"

An older woman waited at the other side. Anna recognized her as the innkeeper's wife. "I can hear you sighing from out here," she laughed.

"Oh, sorry," Anna blushed, "I'll try to knock that off."

"No, no," the old woman dismissed with a wave of her hand, "I can tell what's on your mind. You're thinking of that nice young man you're staying with."

Anna cupped a hand over her mouth, "Ma'am, I don't really-"

"Hush," barked the old woman, "I know how you feel. Trust me, I've been around a time or two." She winked. Anna stared back, hearing her own voice echo in her mind. "Do you remember when you first met him?" asked the old woman in an anxious voice.

"Yes-"

"Good. Tell me about it," the old woman clasped her hands together.

"Ma'am, I mean no disrespect, but-"

"Do as I ask, dear. It's important," the innkeeper's wife commanded.

Anna put her index finger to her chin to begin remembering. The day was cold, she was near the Ylissean-Feroxi border, being chased by a rogue who called himself Vincent. Or had he said Victor? She couldn't remember, and moved on. She saw two figures who she now knew as Chrom and Robin racing up behind her. As they got closer, she noticed Chrom's eyes were focused forward, while the tactician's were at his side, facing her. Robin ordered the blue-haired captain over to her while he took up a tome to fend off a pile of brigands that had been pursuing her. She had spoken to Chrom and allowed, asked, even, to be admitted into his budding army. At once, after their chat, she hurried to catch up with the young man she now knew as Robin. "Thanks for the help," she had called, striking down a nearby bandit.

"Just doing what I can," his eyes focused ahead as he scorched another bandit with a ball of lightning. Suddenly, a brigand leapt out from behind him and began to raise his axe over the tactician's head. Anna ran to his side and threw her blade forward, blocking the hilt of the axe before the blade managed to drop. She strained audibly under the brigand's pressure, causing the tactician to turn and jam his own sword into the man's chest before withdrawing it and letting him fall. "You're pretty capable yourself," he had smiled to her.

The remainder of the battle had proceeded quickly, and the bandits were all flattened, rolled up, and tossed aside before long. Afterward, Anna decided she would stay with the young prince's cadre, but mostly because she wanted to speak to the boy who had shown such concern and yet such tact to her. She visited his tent that night, his face drowning in piles of every conceivable treatise and text regarding military strategy. Anna let out a lofty sigh recounting the conversations and jokes they shared until the candles at his table had melted down to stubs.

"You need to go talk to him, little lady. Gods know you'll regret it if you don't look to him and see how he feels now," the old woman commanded after nodding her head.

Anna hushed her voice, "Do you really think so?"

"Absolutely," the woman folded her arms.

"All right," Anna sighed to the floor, "we'll just find out, then." She began to walk out of the room.

"There's a good girl," commended the innkeeper's wife, patting Anna on the back as she left.

Anna walked by the storefronts, looking up and down each side, searching for her companion. She couldn't find him anywhere. She stopped and sighed, taking a second glance at every individual shop, until she noticed the last flourish of a cloak disappear into an alleyway. She followed it, and as she stepped into the dark corridor, she quickly realized the cloak did not belong to her trusted friend, but rather to a hulking, ill-tempered man who probably wasn't all that trustworthy or friendly. He looked back to her and grinned a malicious grin. Anna turned and tried to run, but felt her mind shut off like a light as a snapping, concise pain landed on her head. She sat in silence for quite some time, until she heard voices. Passive, at first, then argumentative. There was a great clamor for a few seconds, followed by a howl of pain. Before long, Anna felt herself rise, pressure exerting on the back of her shoulders and knees. Then, too there came a repetitive, thunderous sound as Anna felt moisture glazing her skin and dampening her clothes. She felt a rhythmic movement in the pressure that held her, accompanied by worrisome, feverish breaths. All at once, then, Anna felt herself lowered onto a soft surface, a comfortable surface, where she lay a little while longer before her eyes wrenched themselves open. There before her stood Robin, eyebrows furrowed, tugging on the sleeves of his cloak, and, if she wasn't mistaken, small streaks of moisture residue on his cheeks.

"Good, you're awake," he breathed with relief.

"Sorry," Anna rubbed the back of her head, "I should have seen that one coming."

"Oh, who cares? I'm just glad to see you're all right, Anna," Robin extended a hand to cover hers.

She couldn't contain a bright red blush, "Thank you, Robin."

"What were you doing out there, anyway? I told you I would be back," Robin brushed a bit of water from his cloak.

"You were out a while," she replied meekly, looking away, "And there was something I wanted to talk to you about." The blush on her face deepened as she regarded him.

Robin's face took to mirroring hers, "Really? That's funny. So did I." They exchanged stares for a moment. "I guess I'll go first," Robin croaked. "I bought you a little something," he smiled nervously, pulling out the necklace from his pocket.

Anna was unable to contain herself, "A necklace? That is SO SWEET! But, uh, why?" She was tempted to slap herself; "Why" give her a gift? She asked that of the man she thought she might love?!

"Today's your birthday, isn't it?" he smiled, undaunted. Inside, however, Robin shared her turmoil: "Why?" What did she mean "why?" Had he done something wrong? His stomach clenched so tight as to give the impression that he was asphyxiating.

"It is?" she stopped, dumbfounded, "Oh, yes, it is. I completely forgot! I'm surprised you remembered it." Again, she wanted to scream and slap herself. Forgot your own birthday? Boy, do you have it together or what?

"I wouldn't let a good friend's birthday slip by unnoticed," he smiled. "Good friend?" Was that the best he could do?!

"I'm a... good friend?" Anna sat up and moved to the edge of the bed to look to him more clearly.

"Of course you are. How long have we been traveling together?" he smiled.

Her face wrinkled into a coy, confused smile, "Um... Gosh, you really ARE sweet..."

"Thanks," Robin managed. Oh gods, this was going to be the end of it, wasn't it? They would be "good friends" forever because he hadn't had the guts to say what he really meant! He stared at her as she gauged the gifted trinket in her hand, "Is something the matter?"

"No," she shook her head vehemently, "I'm just... realizing something. People say 'It's the thought that counts,' and... it's really true."

"My little gift made you realize that?" Robin warmed. Maybe he would have one more chance.

"It did," she smiled broadly, "and you know what else, Robin? You're right. There are some things money can't buy..."

"Anna..." Robin breathed.

"I love you!" they exclaimed simultaneously, then exchanged deep stares and beet-red blushes.

"I've never felt quite as much at peace as I do with you, Robin," Anna cooed, putting a hand over her chest, "After all the time we spent together, I don't think I could stand the prospect of being without you now." Tears began to flow from her eyes, "You make me so happy, in a way I didn't think possible. You're a kind and courteous companion, but you're also so sweet and fun and comforting... I..." her words drowned in her emotion.

"Funny," Robin's eyes were glassy, "I was going to say the same about you. You're beautiful, of course, you're charming, you have the sharpest wit of anyone I've met, and..." he shuddered as if a chill had passed down his spine, "Anna, your voice, your looks, your words, your manners; every one of them endears me to you. You make me feel... whole... as a person. And when I felt more alone than I was capable of comprehending, you offered me the chance to rest at your side. You gave me a reason to live and, for the first time that I can remember, a shoulder to cry on, for which I was made to feel no regret. That is why yours is the presence which filled the gap in my heart left on the day we departed Ylisse." He knelt before the bedside nervously, eliciting a knowing gasp from his redheaded beauty, "That's why I was hoping you might do me the honor..." he retrieved the ring from his other pocket and held it forward, "of making me the happiest man in all the world." She sniffed and sobbed as the words escaped his lips. "Will you marry me, Anna?" he managed, breath labored as if weighed down by a hundred tons.

She took the ring, eyes welling, "Oh, gods, of course I will, you silver-tongued bastard!"

"Really?!" Robin cheered, "Just like that?" Why, oh, why had he asked that, his subconscious railed.

"What can I say?" a snide smile overcame her face, "I'm a whimsical girl." She held the ring in front of his face teasingly, "Now slip this bad boy on and seal the deal before my whimsy takes me in a new direction." Robin complied, delicately sliding the ring onto her finger, then rising to embrace her and share a passionate kiss.

"Anna, I love you so much," Robin shuddered, taking her into his arms, encouraging her to lie back on the bed. She complied as he waited over her, barely managing to breathe. They remained in each other's embrace, fully enjoying the company, as the rain poured down and the candles in the room burned until they suffocated in their own pools of wax.

"Robin," Chrom extended a hand to his tactician as he hopped off the cart to stand before the great castle in Ylisstol, "You're back sooner than I expected. You saw the whole world in just a year?"

"I certainly did," Robin held out his hand to help Anna down, "and here she is."

She blushed, "You are so hopelessly corny, you stupid sweetheart."

"It must be something in the company I keep," he laughed, wrapping an arm around her as they faced the Ylissean lord.

Chrom's eyebrows rose, "Really? Robin, that's wonderful!"

"Thank you, Chrom," Robin smiled, "I thought I'd share with you before we left to arrange the wedding."

"Like hell you did!" Chrom patted his friend's back genially. "Robin, you're my best friend. Giving you a proper wedding is the least thanks I can give for all you did for me."

Robin looked to Anna, who nodded happily in accedence. "Then I must thank you again, Chrom," Robin bowed.

"Think nothing of it," he raised his hand in solidarity, "Now, come. We've a lot of work to do."

[Author's note: While it may seem like it, this is not the end! There will be one more chapter featuring Robin and Anna's wedding, as well as an appearance by a special guest... Look forward to it!]


	7. Epilogue

Epilogue

Robin tugged at the collar of the very lordly formal outfit Chrom had assigned to him, staring forward.

"Are you going to be all right?" Chrom approached from behind.

"Yes, I'll be fine. It's just a little warm in here with this thing on," he tugged at it again.

"Believe me, I know. But, relax. You'll be all right once things get going," Chrom smiled.

Robin nodded, peering out into the large hall that served as the castle's chapel. On one side, just as before, the Shepherds had gathered for him. The score of foreign and wizened lords was not present, but Robin didn't really feel inclined to miss them. On the other side, lining pew after pew, sat an entire collection of Anna's sisters; a mass of identical maroon ponytails and cheerful saleswoman's smiles. Robin shook his head and laughed alongside his friend. "I didn't think I'd ever be here, you know?" Robin sighed.

"You?" Chrom patted his friend's back, "Don't be ridiculous, I knew you'd find someone. I was the one I was worried about; I don't have that natural intellect and razor wit."

"But you do have a kingdom and a warm smile. That had to help, right?" Robin jabbed.

"That and a smart-mouthed tactician who doesn't know when to quit," he laughed back.

Robin smiled, awaiting the beginning of the ceremony. He really hadn't thought he would ever be the one to stand at the altar, especially after Chrom's wedding. It seemed hopeless: What could he offer that the blue-haired lord could not? Still, all things considered, here he was, now. He was going to marry the woman of his dreams, and they were going to live out their days in happiness. Robin didn't know why, but the information wouldn't sink in. Some part of him still told his brain that this wasn't his day to celebrate; that in some way, all of this ceremony and pageantry wasn't real, and that he would be back to studying alone when night fell. Though he knew better, Robin was nervous.

"I really am surprised at you," one of Anna's sisters said, laboriously combing and fixing her sister's hair, "Of all of us, who'd have thought you would be the first to get married?"

"What can I say?" she smiled, sitting, "I know what I want, and I make it mine."

"So it would appear," she finished, standing back to admire her handiwork.

"What did you see in him, exactly?" called another sister from the corner of the room. The sister facing Anna stopped to give her other sister a stern glare.

"He's a comforting presence," Anna breathed, now running her own fingers through her hair.

"Is that it?" the sister in the corner raised an eyebrow.

"Shush!" called the other, "Don't try to spoil her wedding day, for Naga's sake!"

"I'm just trying to make sure she isn't making a mistake."

"It's not something that's easy to put into words," Anna reaffirmed, now pleased with her hair, "There's just no better time for me than when he's around. It's tougher for me to relax, and even think when Robin's not at my side."

"See?" the first sister had begun meticulously picking and primping at her sister's dress, "'Mistake' that!"

"Only if you're sure," the sister in the corner ignored her other sister and looked to Anna, "I just want you to be happy."

"I know, and I've never been more sure. Thanks, girls," Anna shooed her sister away from her dress.

"Are you ready?" the first sister whispered nervously.

"Is anyone?" Anna breathed with an uneasy smile. She wasn't making a mistake, right? No, this was Robin, her best friend in the entire world, her travelling companion, and her late night conversationalist. They would be together and live happily, wouldn't they? Of course they would, they were perfect together. Anna shook her head dismissively: despite her best efforts, she was getting premarital jitters.

With the exception of Chrom, Robin, Anna, and Libra, who had again been called upon to perform the ceremony, all the Shepherds awaited the ceremony's beginning anxiously, though some more happily than others. Tharja sat in the back corner of a pew by herself, head hung, hair obscuring her face. None of the other Shepherds dared approach her. Sumia sat up front, Lissa at her side, both of them overjoyed to be staring at the beautiful dais again. Lissa had already been given a mound of handkerchiefs and tissues to keep her eyes and nose dry for the duration of the affair, and Sumia had tried her best to keep off of her feet, to avoid ruining anything or knocking decorations over. The two laughed and shared smiles at their onerousness.

Stahl regarded the stage thoughtfully, munching on a small pastry from the table waiting in the other room. Sully, his wife, stared at him cuttingly, eyes demanding he "put the damn thing down." Mouth full, Stahl knew better than to argue with his wife, but instead shoved the remainder of the dessert in his mouth and swallowed, giving her a nervous chuckle. She shook her head and laughed dismissively slapping him on the back.

Gaius, too, had his eyes set on a large plate of cake in the back room, but Maribelle's ever-displeased gazes forced him to at least appear interested in something else. Maribelle, herself, was rather distrustful of Anna after she had let word of her idle speculation on Robin's features slip to the rest of the Shepherds, who still talked about it in hushed tones when she was not present. Still, Maribelle had wanted to be present to support Robin, at the very least, and, her husband suspected, more importantly, consort with the lords and ladies of her beloved court in the stifling atmosphere she so enjoyed.

Ricken and Nowi couldn't be bothered with the ceremony itself, greatly preferring to search around the tables in the dining hall, Nowi consuming more than half her body weight before both were escorted out by Cordelia, who still found herself hemming and hawing at the possibilities of love. She sat alone, as did Virion, from whom most kept a safe distance, despite his invitations to share in the beautiful, delicate, sophisticated atmosphere of the day… accentuated with a pass at a few of the women, not the least of whom were Anna's sisters, and Gregor, who was mostly jovial and pleased with the proceedings, but was suspected to be quite drunk, after his loud and raucous shouting to commence with the ceremony so he could see "Most beautiful moment when lips are locking and whole building is roaring with apples!" and afterward, sobbing uncontrollably.

Panne and Lon'qu sat at each other's side, keeping silent for the majority of the afternoon, intending only to speak where necessary. Lon'qu was kept on edge the entire time by the ceaseless presence of identical women, the very thought of which nearly drove him to madness. Panne was happy to support the young couple, but could not understand the purpose of the ceremony, initially believing it to be strange cantering; a mating ritual of sorts, before promptly being corrected by a dozen blushing faces.

Miriel, too, was present for curiosity, interviewing both groom- and bride-to-be as to why they had selected the other before being hurried out of their respective rooms. Donnel, too, was there at her side, not particularly for the sake of helping her research, but more because he had, "Never seen such git-tagethers as them royal folks throw," also throwing lascivious glances toward the piles of food arranged in the next room. Kellam also waited at the back of the chapel, going largely unnoticed, as he was mistaken for a statue most often.

There they all sat, eyes glowing and facing forward as Libra finally took his position at the lavish marble podium that sat in the center of the great indigo carpeting. Robin walked up to the platform first, nodding to Libra, a smile plastered on his face. There were a few whistles and cheers of encouragement as he took the stage before Libra was forced to ask for silence, which wasn't a problem as Anna made her way atop the platform to meet her new husband. Her gorgeous gown shone icy-white amid the deep blue hue of the carpet beneath her and tapestry above, and her wonderful, ruby-red hair bounced with each step as she stood before Robin and Libra, grinning delicately.

She looked slyly at Robin, his mouth seconds from dropping altogether, but whose lips parted quietly, "Gods, Anna. You look so beautiful."

They each stood straight and listened attentively as Libra read the required proceedings of the ceremony. When the time came, Chrom stepped forward, carrying the gold band sporting the soft white diamond on the same lavish pillow with blue, velvety feel and gold trim, holding it before each of them, a determined smile on his face.

"…in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Robin looked to Anna, eyes barely able to focus themselves, and smiled. Smiled broadly, happily, more contentedly than he could ever recall, as a chill whipped its way up his spine.

"Do you, Anna, take this man…"

Anna tried to relax her breathing. She wondered if anyone else could tell how distressed she was beneath the glowing white and faded sky blue fabrics. She hung on Libra's every word, knowing precisely the consequences of the next answer she delivered. As he began to near the end of his question, she looked back to Robin, whose eyes questioned her for a moment, then, when as she stared, touted a smile and a nod, putting a hand forward for her to hold. "We'll do it together," his eyes shone as she allowed her hand into his.

"…in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she shook the hand, frightened, then contented as he continued to smile confidently to her.

"Then," Libra smiled at the two, "by the power and authority vested in me by the Divine Dragon, Naga, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The walls of the building roared and echoed with a cacophony of cheers as Robin leaned into his wife, who promptly wrapped her arms around him and locked the two in long, deep kiss. The excitement continued, even intensified, as the party moved to the dining hall, laughing and exchanging stories and scarfing down whatever food and drink had been made available. As the day wore on and night began to cloak the castle, guests began to peter out until only the newlyweds, Chrom, and Lissa remained.

"Well, I really should be getting to bed," Lissa yawned.

"Yes, as should I. Be off, Lissa. I'll be right behind you," her brother patted her shoulder. She gave him a skeptical glance before walking off down the hall. Chrom stood and stared at the couple for a moment, "Congratulations, both of you."

"Thank you, Chrom," they accepted simultaneously.

He paused to look at the ceiling, "I suppose I really should be getting to bed. But, I wanted to ask: will the two of you remain here?"

Robin looked to his wife, who smiled and, after considering for a moment, nodded her head. "Yes, I suppose we will," Robin said.

"Excellent. I'll have your quarters cleaned right away," Chrom rubbed his hands together.

"But not tonight, of course," Anna reminded.

"Why no—"

"We'll need some privacy," Anna touched her finger to her husband's nose, and he blushed accordingly.

Chrom cleared his throat, "Right, then. Goodnight to both of you, and congratulations again."

"Thank you, Chrom. Goodnight," Robin all but pushed the young lord away before wrapping his arm around his wife, guiding her forward.

Robin sighed as he lugged his gear along with him. His head was swimming. Ylisse had been plunged into a new war with Valm, and, even more significantly, the mysterious entity who had been asked to be called "Marth" was, in truth, Lucina, Chrom's daughter come back in an effort to prevent a ruined future wherein Chrom had been killed and the "Fell Dragon" Grima had annihilated most of the planet. Nonetheless, Chrom, Robin, and the rest of the Shepherds had traveled to a region referred to as the "Ruins of Time" on the suspicion that something capable of aiding the group on their campaign against Valm there awaited. Robin, Anna at his side, swept and dove through the mighty pillars and slabs of stone which radiated strange blue light that made up the bizarre meadow, sweeping through bandits and brigands as he heard a young girl's voice until he found a her, a girl who looked no older than sixteen, dressed in a coat that was virtually the same as his own and sporting hair the same ruby red as his wife's. Just as curiosity was about to claim him and drive Robin to ask her name, she ran to him, arms waving, and shouting, "Father!"

"What did you call me?" Robin was dumbstruck by the little girl as she ran up to take his side.

"Thank goodness!" the girl laughed, ignoring him, "I was worried I was never going to find you!" She danced and spun around him giddily.

Robin put a hand out to halt her, "Little girl, who are you? How do you know me?"

"What?" she stared back up at him, "It's me, Morgan!"

Anna took to her husband's side and also looked down to the girl, "'Morgan' who, sweetheart?"

The girl's face twisted in confusion, "Morgan. Your daughter."

"Beg pardon?" Robin doubled back. His wife appeared equally shocked.

"Do you not remember me or something, dad?" her eyes became glassy as she regarded Robin carefully.

"Wait a moment," Robin put a hand to his head, "Did you, perchance, travel back with Lucina?"

"Lucina? Who's that? Look, dad, it's me! Your daughter, Morgan! You know, love and light of your life and daddy's little girl and all that? My, the air agrees with you, father. You look about a decade younger," replied the girl, eyes sparkling.

"You think I look younger, eh? Look very carefully, do I look old enough to have a daughter your age?" Robin lowered himself to her eye level.

"Well… I admit you do look an awful lot younger… but, what does that mean? I know I remember you as being my father, I _know_ it!" the girl stammered.

"This will sound strange, dear, but I think you come from the future," Robin grasped her shoulder.

She shook her head and grasped it, "That can't be. That's not even possible!"

"You'd be surprised," Anna knelt down next to both of them.

The girl began to cry, "Father, my head hurts. You're not going to leave me here, are you?"

Robin and Anna exchanged sympathetic frowns. "Of course not, honey. Just stay to the back and let old dad take care of things from here, okay?" Robin smiled to her.

"Yessir!" her head lifted as she stood into a salute.

"There's a good girl," Robin patted her back as she turned to head for the back lines of the battle.

The skirmish between the Shepherds and the treasure hunters raged a few minutes more until all of the latter had been defeated. As the Shepherds began to pull away, disappointed at the lack of treasure, Chrom took to the front to find Robin and Anna both holding hands with the young maroon-haired girl.

"Robin, Anna," Chrom announced as he hurried to meet their stride.

"Oh, Chrom. Is something wrong?" Robin turned away from his daughter.

"I'm a little discouraged by the fact that we found no treasure of Naga here, and I feel a bit of a fool for believing such a legend. But, more importantly, I'm interested: who is that little girl?" Chrom looked past his friend.

"Funny story," Robin laughed, also looking at the little girl, "I think I've found your treasure; Chrom, this is my daughter, Morgan."

"Daughter?! Like Lucina?" Chrom jumped.

"Near as I can tell. She doesn't have any memory of travelling to the past, however," Robin scratched his neck.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Chrom smiled, "Good morrow, Morgan."

She stared at the Ylissean lord, but shied away into her father's arms. Her father ruffled her hair, "It's all right, Morgan. Chrom's a friend." She muttered a quiet hello.

Chrom stepped aside, satisfied, and the young couple and their new daughter continued their walk to the horizon.

"Morgan, when were you born?" Anna asked.

After a moment, the girl snapped her fingers, "May fifth, that's right."

Anna blushed, "Oh."

"Why do you ask, mother?" Morgan smiled.

"No special reason," she shook her head.

"You know, it's August, Anna," Robin looked slyly at his wife.

She blushed again, "Don't get ahead of yourself, smart guy."

"Why?" Morgan tugged at her father's cloak, "What happens in August?"

"A little bit of magic, it seems," Robin laughed, his wife joining him. The trio; an amnesiac with a gift for tactics, the merchant girl whose heart he had warmed and whom had filled the gap in his soul, and their energetic, fun-loving, cheerful, also amnesiac daughter, strode off toward the light of the setting sun, laughing and sharing revelry. The mark in Robin's journal for that evening read, "In only a year, I've found my family. And I doubt that there is a single man in the world more fortunate than I to have them."


End file.
